Recollection

“Eh, why should important people care about us anyway?”

Under the shade of one of the coasters stretching above Venge City’s buildings, the two found themselves hunting for more work, perusing different services and storefronts.

“They’ve been nice to us so far, Frankie.”

“Yeah, that’s not normal. We got astronomically lucky back then. Some fat cat in a latex onesie isn’t just gonna give us positions as his personal piggybanks. I dunno if we’ll even land another normal job, like this…”

“There’s a school over there.”

Katie pointed to the brick building off to the side, wedged haplessly in between a theater and a Ferris wheel.

“Katie… don’t.”

“Oh- I’m sorry. We don’t have to go near the wheel! I’m just wondering, maybe the school could use a cleaner or two while everyone’s on break-“

“No, not… not that. I’m… over all that stuff. I’m not gonna freak out because of… because of some ride. I just don’t feel like… having to go back into one of those places right now.”

“Why not?”

Frankie was suddenly very interested in her flip-flops, casting her gaze downward and away from her elder.

“Frankie… is this about… that again?”

“I don’ wanna bring it up…”

“It’s too late for that…” Katie sighed motherly, trying to check the expression on her sister’s concealed face. “Hey. Are you still considering dropping out?”

Frankie swallowed hard to avoid talking.

“It’s winter break already, Frankie. There really isn’t much left. Just one final year… it’s not a long stretch.”

“Easy for you to say, maybe…” the girl grumbled. “You’re already done. And you never have to do that again…”

“You won’t either. Once you’ve graduated, your memories of school will last you forever.”

“It’s not as easy with you gone, Katie… I don’t want those memories in the first place. Neither of us had friends, but at least… with you- with you it was bearable. It’s not like that any longer.”

“I’m sorry. I wish there was something I could still do for you…”

“What are you… gonna do, when school starts back? Keep travelling alone? If… if I drop out, we’d both be happier…”

“That’s not true, Frankie… you’ll regret giving up at the last second. That’d be an awful feeling.”

“What are you going to do… when this trip is over, and mom and dad come back?”

The wind felt cold for once.

“I guess… I guess I’ll spend the rest of my life combing through the parks we missed. Isn’t that what anyone would do?”

“What if you can’t reach them all?”

Katie froze.

Frankie was the one leering into her now. As she avoided her sister’s sight, neither moved a muscle as the interrogation continued.

“…Remember the field trips?” Katie asked nostalgically. Frankie didn’t have anything to respond with. “We would always go see the same parks over and over again… and they’d show us how to do all the jobs there… how the parks were made… and all anyone could think of was when we’d get to ride the rides.”

Frankie continued to stare in silence for a time, until she realized Katie was already getting lost in thought. She tried to reel her back in.

“So… what are you trying to say?”

“Everyone else changed since then, Frankie.” She finally met eyes with her sister. “Just like you... they don’t really care about the parks that much. More importantly… they don’t seem to care about missing a few things. They don’t think they do. But… we’re all gonna reach the same truth I did. One day.. well, this’ll go away, won’t it..? My “Museworld…” it’s not gonna last forever, will it? Your time as a highschooler… one way or another, it’s going to end. Please don’t throw it out early.”

“Katie…”

A masked man in black and red suddenly stood inches from Frankie’s face.

“Good day ma’am. Have you been wronged by a certain member of the upper class recently?”